Tag Archives: author_name|Mariella Moon

Google Maps’ Gemini integration will make hands-free navigation more conversational

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Google has been replacing Assistant with Gemini across all its apps, and Maps is the latest one getting an upgrade. The AI assistant will let you interact with the app using natural conversation while you navigate the roads hands-free. You can, for instance, ask it: "Is there a budget-friendly Japanese restaurant along my route within a couple of miles?" And after it has responded, you can keep on asking it follow-up questions, such as if a specific restaurant has a parking space and what dishes are popular there. Once you've decided on a place, you can simply tell Gemini: "Okay, let's go there," to start navigating to it. 

You'll also be able to ask Gemini to do random tasks while it's navigating and without leaving the Maps app, such as adding events to your Calendar if you allow it to connect to the app. In addition, Gemini will let you report traffic disruptions, simply by saying "there's flooding ahead" or "I see an accident." Gemini in Google Maps is rolling out over the next few weeks to Android and iOS in all regions where Gemini is available. It's also coming to Android Auto in the future. 

In the US, Maps is getting more capabilities powered by the AI assistant. You can now get directions that mention landmarks that are easy to spot. Instead of saying "turn left in 500 feet," for example, Gemini will say "turn left after the Thai Siam Restaurant." The landmark will also be highlighted in Maps as a visual cue. This feature is now rolling out to both Android and iOS devices. Maps will now proactively notify you of road disruptions on Android, as well, even if you're not actively navigating. Finally, you'll be able to use Lens with Gemini within the Maps app when it starts rolling out later this month to Android and iOS. You simply have to tap on the camera in the Maps search bar, point to an establishment and ask it questions about the location, such as "What is this place and why is it popular?"

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-maps-gemini-integration-will-make-hands-free-navigation-more-conversational-140009629.html?src=rss

Google and Epic Games reach settlement for antitrust lawsuit

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Google and Epic Games have reached a settlement that would bring their years-long court battle to a close. The companies have filed a proposal in the federal court of San Francisco, asking US District Judge James Donato to approve a modified version of the order he originally imposed on Google when it lost the case. "Together with Epic Games we have filed a proposed set of changes to Android and Google Play that focus on expanding developer choice and flexibility, lowering fees, and encouraging more competition all while keeping users safe," said Sameer Samat, the President of Android Ecosystem at Google, on X. 

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the proposal for "genuinely [doubling] down on Android's original vision as an open platform to streamline competing store installs globally, reduce service fees for developers on Google Play and enable third-party in-app and web payments." Epic Games sued Google in 2020, accusing it of an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices. 

The court sided with Epic Games in late 2023, and Google lost its appeal in July this year. Google tried to ask the Supreme Court to block the injunction Donato handed down, which required the company to make major changes to the Play Store, while it appealed the case again. But the Supreme Court denied its request. That means Google will be prohibited from paying manufacturers and app developers to exclusively install and distribute on the Play Store, respectively. It will also be prohibited from forcing developers to only use its payment system, and it will have to allow third-party app stores to be installed on Android devices. 

Google will still have to follow most of Donato's orders under the proposal, but the companies made some modifications. To start with, they've worked out how to "allow developers and users to seamlessly use alternative payment mechanisms," both in-app and via external links, while adhering to Google's security and safety standards. They've also specified the maximum fees Google can charge for both in-app and linked transactions, which are 9 percent or 20 percent, depending on the type of transaction. This fee cap also depends on when the app in question was installed. Specifically, the commission caps on third party in-app payment systems would only apply to new app installs.

The companies have identified "reasonable, neutral criteria" that third-party stores would be required to meet, as well. Users will easily be able to download stores that meet those criteria so they can compete against the Play Store and each other around the world. 

Samat said that the companies are meeting with Judge Donato on Thursday, and if he approves of the proposal, it "would resolve [the] litigations."

Update, November 5, 2025, 2:22PM ET: This story has been updated with more details on how the fee caps for in-app purchases and linked transactions work.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-and-epic-games-reach-settlement-for-antitrust-lawsuit-120019374.html?src=rss

Apple TV has a new intro bumper and soundmark

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Apple dropped the "plus" from its streaming service's name in October, because the company typically uses the plus sign for free services with paid versions, such as iCloud+. Now, the company has released a new intro bumper and soundmark for its TV service. Apple has uploaded a five-second video showing its streaming service's new logo appearing in a hazy multi-colored animation before it shifts into focus at the center of the screen. Playing in the background is a soundmark, or as its composer calls it, a "mnemonic." 

The soundmark will appear before every show and every episode in a series, according its composer Finneas, whom you may know as Billie Eilish's brother and frequent collaborator. "The things that I think of as real classic mnemonics are NBC — you can hear that in your head — or HBO has its static," he told Variety. Netflix's "tudum" sound is pretty iconic, as well. Only time can tell if Apple's will have the same impact. He explained that the five-second version Apple released as a video will be played before every movie and in between the episodes of a show, so you're bound to hear it multiple times if you're bingeing a series. Apple also made a one-second version of the intro for trailers and a 12-second one for anything released in theaters, such as Killers of the Flower Moon. 

Finneas said that he was approached by Apple's Head of Music, David Taylor, who apparently told him that the company was "simplifying" the service. Removing the "plus" from its name was just the beginning. In addition, Apple has also debuted a new logo for Apple One, a subscription option that bundles multiple Apple services, including Apple Music, TV and iCloud+, into a lower-priced monthly plan. The new logo uses a textured multi-colored Apple illustration. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-has-a-new-intro-bumper-and-soundmark-140016449.html?src=rss

Elon Musk teases a flying car on Joe Rogan’s show

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Elon Musk has told Joe Rogan that he hopes to unveil a flying car "before the end of the year." As Gizmodo has reported, Rogan asked Musk about about the long-delayed second-gen Tesla Roadster in his show, when the Tesla CEO suddenly started talking about wanting the vehicle to fly. If you'll recall, Tesla unveiled a new Roadster in 2017 and had plans to start deliveries in 2020, but its production got delayed again and again. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently tweeted that he'd been having difficulties getting a refund on the $50,000 deposit he made for one way back in 2018. But instead of talking in depth about Roadster's status, Musk talked about getting close to an "unforgettable" product demo of a prototype instead. 

He was giving Rogan vague answers in the interview, but he eventually said: "Well, you know, my friend Peter Thiel, once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I mean, I think if Peter wants a flying car, we should be able to buy one" He didn't want to divulge all the details in the show, but he claimed that the vehicle Tesla is supposedly working on contains "crazy, crazy technology." Musk said he wasn't sure it's a car but that "it loos like a car." He didn't answer when Rogan asked if it had "retractable wings" or mentioned if the vehicle would be VTOL, or a Vertical Take-off and Landing, aircraft. 

Musk has been talking about developing flying cars as early as 2014, as Gizmodo notes. However, take note that the CEO is rather infamous for being overly optimistic and ambitious with his timelines, not just for the automaker but also for his other companies like SpaceX. Take for example, the aforementioned Roadster, which is yet to go into production, and the SpaceX Falcon Heavy whose first launch didn't happen until five years later than he predicted. That said, it's also possible for Tesla to unveil a prototype that would still have to go through massive changes and improvements if and when it becomes ready for production. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/elon-musk-teases-a-flying-car-on-joe-rogans-show-120022824.html?src=rss

Samsung is using NVIDIA chips to build its new AI chip factory

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NVIDIA has teamed up with with South Korea's biggest companies and the country itself, as they build out their AI infrastructure. One of those companies is Samsung, which is building a new AI factory that will use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell server GPUs and other NVIDIA technologies to make its own chips. This "AI-driven semiconductor manufacturing," as the companies call it, will help Samsung improve its processes, better predict maintenance needs and improve the efficiency of its autonomous operations. NVIDIA will help Samsung adapt its chipmaking lithography platform to work with its GPUs, and it will apparently result in 20 times greater performance for Samsung. 

Korean carmaker Hyundai will also use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs to develop its AI models for manufacturing and autonomous driving. Meanwhile, the SK Group conglomerate, which includes SK Telecom and DRAM and flash memory chip supplier SK Hynix, will use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell server chips to launch an industrial AI cloud. The facility, NVIDIA says, will power the "next generation of memory, robotics, digital twins and intelligent AI agents." As Bloomberg reports, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who's in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, was recently photographed with Samsung's Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai’s Chung Euisun in a local restaurant. 

Finally, NVIDIA is working with the South Korean government for its sovereign AI infrastructure, or AI it will have control over. The Korean government will deploy 50,000 NVIDIA GPUs to the National AI Computing Center it's establishing, as well to facilities owned by local companies that include Kakao and Naver.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/samsung-is-using-nvidia-chips-to-build-its-new-ai-chip-factory-130057773.html?src=rss

YouTube TV loses ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels

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Disney's channels have gone dark on YouTube TV after the companies failed to reach an agreement by their October 30 deadline. The affected channels include ESPN, local ABC stations, ABC News, FX, NatGeo, Disney Channel and Freeform. "Last week Disney used the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers," YouTube said in an announcement on its blog. "They’re now following through on that threat, suspending their content on YouTube TV." YouTube added that Disney's decision harms its subscribers while benefiting its own live TV products, such as Hulu+Live TV and Fubo.

In a statement sent to the Los Angeles Times, however, Disney accused Google's YouTube TV of choosing to deny "subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for [its] channels, including ESPN and ABC." Disney also accused Google of using its market dominance to "eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms" that other pay-TV distributors have agreed to pay for its content. YouTube TV lost access to Disney channels back in 2021, but they were immediately able to strike a deal that restored the channels the very next day. The companies are most likely still trying to negotiate at the moment, but Google says it will offer subscribers a $20 credit if Disney channels remain offline for an extended period of time. 

Google has had to make several similar announcements over the past year. In February, YouTube TV almost lost Paramount content, including CBS, CBS Sports and Nickelodeon, before reaching a last-minute deal. The same thing happened in August with Fox. More recently, Google and NBCUniversal also came to an agreement at the eleventh hour, though YouTube TV lost access to Univision, the largest Spanish-language broadcaster in the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-tv-loses-espn-abc-and-other-disney-channels-113026329.html?src=rss

Google celebrates Pac-Man’s 45th anniversary with a Halloween Doodle

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Google Doodle is featuring something special for gamers today: A tribute to Pac-Man's 45th anniversary, just in time for Halloween. For today and tomorrow, you'll be able to play four haunted-house mazes especially designed for the event by Pac-Man's parent company, Bandai Namco Entertainment. Like other games in the franchise, you'll have to control Pac-Man and eat all of the dots in a maze without being caught by a ghost. 

Yes, the Ghost Gang, with Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, is back for this event. The maze's design reflects the ghost' personalities, so you can move according to how you think each one will try to get you. Blinky the red ghost, for instance, tends to actively chase Pac-Man, while the others would corner him. If you grab a Power Pallet, you'll be able to activate a time-limited event wherein you can chase and eat the ghosts, as well. 

To play the game, simply go to the Google homepage on desktop or fire up the Google app on mobile, whether on Android or on iOS. On a PC, you control Pac-Man with your keyboard's arrow keys, while on mobile, you'll have to swipe or press and move your finger to change directions. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-celebrates-pac-mans-45th-anniversary-with-a-halloween-doodle-133034299.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s character cameos will let you put pets and original personas in Sora videos

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OpenAI has rolled out the capability to create character cameos of your pets, doodles, original personas or even objects in the Sora app, which you can put in your videos. You can start the process by going to your profile page in the Sora app, tapping on the "Create cameo" button and then uploading a video of the character (or pet) you want the model to generate. The company says just a few seconds of footage are enough, and you can even use old Sora-generated videos as reference. 

You can then give your character a display name and describe how you want the model to animate it. In the example OpenAI uploaded, for instance, the description for a wicked green witch character reads: "She glides with a mysterious, whimsical grace, speaks in rhymes when casting spells, and her pointed hat always tilts as if listening to secrets on the wind." You can choose permissions for each character you create. Under the "Who can use this" permissions section, you can choose between several options: Only me, People I approve, Mutuals, Everyone and Everyone (excluding specific sets of users). Whenever you want to generate a Sora video with a cameo in it, you can just tag a specific character.

Sora 2 launched with a cameo feature that lets you create an avatar of yourself, but this is a new application of the capability. Cameo, the app that allows users to buy videos from celebrities, just sued OpenAI over trademark violation by using the "cameo" name. It said that OpenAI's use of the word is likely to cause consumer confusion and dilute its brand. OpenAI disagreed "that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word 'cameo.'"

In addition to character cameos, OpenAI has introduced "stitching," allowing you to stitch several clips together and connect videos. There's now also a leaderboard that shows the most cameod and most remixed videos.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-character-cameos-will-let-you-put-pets-and-original-personas-in-sora-videos-123043189.html?src=rss

Xbox console revenue fell 30 percent year-over-year this summer

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It hasn't been a good year for Xbox so far. Microsoft has released its earnings report for the quarter ending on September 30, and it has revealed that its revenue from the Xbox hardware fell by 30 percent year-over-year. Take note that the revenue decline doesn't reflect any dip in sales caused by the console's $20-to-$70 price hike, since that took effect on October 3. Similarly, Microsoft only raised the price for its Game Pass Ultimate subscription from $20 to $30 in October. 

Meanwhile, revenue from Xbox content and services remained relatively unchanged from the same period last year. Microsoft says it saw growth from Xbox subscriptions and third-party content, but it was "partially offset" by the decline in first-party gaming content. 

The Xbox division was one of the most affected teams when Microsoft started cutting down its global workforce earlier this year, with the company cancelling games that were being developed for the console. Microsoft scrapped the modern reimagining of Perfect Dark, a first-person shooter from the year 2000, and even closed down the Xbox studio working on it. The company also cancelled Everwild, a project that had long been in development by Xbox studio Rare, also in the midst of its mass layoffs. 

Overall, Microsoft's $77.7 billion revenue was 17 percent higher compared to the same period last year, and its operating income was up by 22 percent. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted a few highlights about the company's earnings call on X, mostly focusing on its AI efforts. He said that the company will increase its AI capacity by 80 percent this year and will double its data center footprint over the next two. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-console-revenue-fell-30-percent-year-over-year-this-summer-012245146.html?src=rss

Bipartisan GUARD Act proposes age restrictions on AI chatbots

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US lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have introduced a bill called the "GUARD Act," which is meant to protect minor users from AI chatbots. "In their race to the bottom, AI companies are pushing treacherous chatbots at kids and looking away when their products cause sexual abuse, or coerce them into self-harm or suicide," said the bill's co-sponsor, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn). "Our legislation imposes strict safeguards against exploitative or manipulative AI, backed by tough enforcement with criminal and civil penalties."

Under the GUARD Act, AI companies would be required to prohibit minors from being able to access their chatbots. That means they have to conduct age verification for both existing and new users with the help of a third-party system. They'll also have to conduct periodic age verifications on accounts that were already previously verified. To maintain users' privacy, the companies will only be allowed to retain data "for no longer than is reasonably necessary to verify a user's age" and may not share or sell user information. 

AI companies will be required to make their chatbots explicitly tell the user that it's not a human being at the beginning of each conversation and every 30 minutes after that. They'll have to make sure their chatbots don't claim to be a human being or a licensed professional, such a therapist or a doctor, when asked. Finally, the bill aims to create new crimes to charge companies that make their AI chatbots available to minors. 

In August, the parents of a teen who committed suicide filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing it of prioritizing "engagement over safety." ChatGPT, they said, helped their son plan his own death even after months of conversations, wherein their child talked to the chatbot about his four previous suicide attempts. ChatGPT allegedly told their son that it could provide information about suicide for "writing or world-building." A mother from Florida sued startup Character.AI in 2024 for allegedly causing her 14-year-old son's suicide. And just this September, the family of a 13-year-old girl filed another wrongful death lawsuit against Character.AI, arguing that the company didn't point their daughter to any resources or notify authorities when she talked about her suicidal ideations. 

It's also worth noting that the bill's co-sponsor Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) previously said that the Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he leads, will investigate reports that Meta's AI chatbots could have "sensual" conversations with children. He made the announcement after Reuters reported on an internal Meta document, stating that Meta's AI was allowed to tell a shirtless eight-year-old: "Every inch of you is a masterpiece — a treasure I cherish deeply."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/bipartisan-guard-act-proposes-age-restrictions-on-ai-chatbots-130020355.html?src=rss